Sr. Ground Software Engineer

Company Overview

Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution empowering every engineer to think systemically, act decisively, and build with purpose. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.

We recently raised $8M in seed capital and are led by visionary founder and former Hermeus co-founder, Mike Smayda.

Team / Department

You'll join Fortastra's Engineering Division. The ground software team is responsible for the systems that command our spacecraft, capture and manage their data, and turn raw telemetry into actionable insight, enabling reliable operations and rapid iteration across vehicles, from ground test through flight.

The Role 

Fortastra is seeking a Sr. Ground Software Engineer to own ground control software, data infrastructure, and data visualization and analysis tools that support both flight operations and ground testing. You will be responsible for how we command our spacecraft, monitor them in real time, and store, serve, and make sense of the data they produce.

You will have the ability to work across the full ground stack from low-level data ingestion to user-facing analysis tools while collaborating closely with the teams that build and operate the vehicle. You will collaborate closely with our Flight Software team. They will build the  flight software that runs on the spacecraft, and you will build everything on the ground that commands it, captures its data, and helps our engineers understand it.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop ground control software for commanding and monitoring spacecraft during flight operations and ground tests.
• Own data infrastructure that ingests, stores, and serves high-rate telemetry and test data reliably and at scale.
• Build data visualization and analysis tools that give engineers real-time and post-test insight into system behavior.
• Develop telemetry pipelines that handle both live streaming data and large historical datasets, with disciplined attention to reliability and data integrity.
• Work with flight software and avionics engineers to define command and telemetry interfaces that minimize risk and simplify integration.
• Build tooling that accelerates data review, anomaly detection, and post-test reconstruction.
• Support real-time operations during tests and flights, including console roles as needed.
• Generate and maintain clear documentation for ground software systems and interfaces with disciplined revision control.
• Collaborate with test and integration teams to ensure ground systems are buildable, testable, and serviceable, and support floor activities such as test setup and data verification.
• Identify and resolve issues related to data flow, system observability, and interactions between ground software and other spacecraft and test infrastructure

Qualifications & Skills

• B.S. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, or other sciences and/or physics-based degree.
• Prior experience in ground software, mission operations, or telemetry/command systems
• Experience designing and building data infrastructure, databases, time-series stores, streaming pipelines, or message buses
• Experience building data visualization and analysis tools for technical or engineering users
• Proficiency in one or more modern languages such as Python, C++, Go, or Rust
• Experience with space systems, rovers, satellites, launch vehicles, etc.
• Solid understanding of networking, protocols, and real-time or high-throughput data handling
• Experience with cloud-based ground systems or mission control software
• Exposure to DevOps and automated testing pipelines
• Comfort using modern agentic AI tools (e.g., Claude) in the development workflow.
• Ability to work independently and in small, fast-moving teams.
• Work is on-site, remote or hybrid arrangements will not be considered.
• U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance.

Why Fortastra

We are a small, high-impact team building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, leaders own outcomes from first principles through flight and directly shape the future of resilient, mission-critical spacecraft autonomy.

FORTASTRA TALENT & CULTURE PRINCIPLES

Values Driven by First Principles

We value engineers and operators who prioritize sound judgment, candor, technical rigor, bias for action, and intellectual honesty over corporate consensus. We care about the caliber of the system you build and the speed at which you solve problems.

Talent Density Over Headcount

A high-performing startup is built on dense talent, not organizational bloat. A single exceptional engineer designs, tests, and delivers faster than a bloated committee. We intentionally maintain a lean, elite engineering crew where every contributor directly moves the needle on the mission. 

High Autonomy, High Ownership

We hire domain experts to execute, not to micromanage them. You own your systems end-to-end, from initial architecture and hardware design to testing and deployment. With absolute ownership comes the responsibility to deliver mission critical reliability. 

Mission Context Over Bureaucracy

The best execution happens when teams are provided clear technical objectives, constraints, and operational context, rather than rigid top-down policies. We strip away red tape so builders can iterate, make decisions, and push hardware and flight software forward rapidly. 

Disciplined Speed & Flight Rigor

We move fast because we test often and kill artificial bottlenecks, not because we cut corners. Rapid iteration on the test stand and in simulation is how we learn; an uncompromising flight-readiness bar is how we earn trust. Precision without friction, speed without recklessness.

Direct Impact, Not Career Bureaucracy

You don’t come to Fortastra to climb a corporate ladder or manage slide decks; you come to build complex, flight-ready systems from day one. Growth here is organic, driven by the magnitude of technical challenges you solve and the trust you build across the team. 

Benefits

We take care of our employees so they can focus on what matters most: family, well-being, and life outside of work.

Unlimited Paid Time Off so that you have the time you need to rest and recharge.

Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, because peace of mind starts with feeling cared for.

Equity: Share in Fortastra's success with equity in the company you're helping build.

401(k): A 401(k) plan to help you invest in your future and plan for what's ahead.

Social Events: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities that make this a place people are glad to be part of.

The pay range for this role is $130,000.00 - $170,000.00. Where an offer falls within that range depends on factors like your qualifications, experience, location, and interview performance, which we weigh against the market rate for the position.

Recruiters & Agencies: Fortastra does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from recruiters, agencies, or third parties. Any candidate submitted without a signed agreement and prior written authorization from Fortastra will not be subject to any fee, and no relationship is implied. Please do not contact Fortastra employees, hiring managers, or recruiting team directly.